About ASAPS

Advocacy Support

Aesthetic Society’s Board of Directors approves Advocacy Funding at the State Level

On an ongoing basis, the ASAPS Board of Directors works to ensure that our members’ dues are being utilized wisely and to their fullest capacity, as we all know the value of getting the most bang for one’s buck. At a recent Board of Directors meeting, there was a discussion about how to financially support aesthetic advocacy activities in a way in which our dollars will be most impactful. All politics is local and the “bellwether” states for aesthetic plastic surgery (such as California, Florida, and New Jersey, among others) typically do not receive support from any national organization to help them in their legislative battles. Aesthetic Society President Dr. Jack Fisher appointed a workgroup to address this issue and make a recommendation to the Board.

A recommendation was made and unanimously approved by your Board of Directors to implement an annual state advocacy funding program. Using a simple process, states requesting funding will be asked to complete a simple application form that will be reviewed by the Advocacy Relations Committee. Requests are approved based on need and severity of the issue involved. Funding requests can be approved totaling up to 50% of the total annual advocacy budget. It is anticipated that the maximum initial funding would be $10,000 per state pending Committee approval. The balance of the advocacy budget would be held for “emergency” issues. Such requests would be reviewed by the Advocacy Relations Committee with final approval by the Board of Directors.

THE DETAILS
Our vision is to have ASAPS build long-term relationships with existing state societies and not duplicate any current advocacy activities already in existence.

1. States must request the funds and agree to provide an update report to the Board of Directors either in written or verbal form during the ASAPS Annual Meeting and by July 1 at the close of the legislative year.

2. The October 1 deadline for funding requests conforms to the typical timing of the creation of legislative agendas with most of the legislative activity taking place in January – May.

3. If this program is successful, we recommend developing an electronic “Clearinghouse” to include a listing of key individuals in each state, including the option to share their successes, failures, documents, etc… so we build a community and infrastructure for the states to work together.

Those states interested in applying for funding can find an application HERE.